Texans wield saxophones and synths on sophomore album “Acts of God”, “one of the most exciting bands in extreme music”, “a wild-eyed epic – with a foundation in heavy hardcore, the band explores vast terrain, from the blackened to the ambient” – these are the words of promoters and media commenting on the debut record from San Antonio based post metal tinged experimental hardcore band ILLUSTRATIONS. “Acts Of God” weighs the huge and intimate, the violent and atmospheric, and strikes the perfect balance. Exactly one week away from their official self-release, we’re still moved by its experimental, varied and expressively engaging version of everything metal/hardcore we’ve heard before and we’re pleased to give you our interview, breaking down the record and giving you lots of insights into their work. Play it loud and tell your friends, cause it deserves much larger audiences!
“Acts Of God” features guest saxophone appearances by Bruce Lamont of YAKUZA (tracks ‘Pestilence‘ & ‘War Have Mercy‘), synths, field recordings, crooned vocals, whispers, and soaring guitars bring a whole new dimension to the music, evoking the vast landscapes of the band’s Texas home, and elevating the album to the next echelon. The album was recorded by four engineers in four locations: Chuck Macak at Electrowerks Recoding in Chicago, Aaron Bastinelli at Big Orange Recordings in Austin, Justin Douglas at Shine Studios in Austin, and the band’s guitarist Nicodemus Gonzalez at Public Profile in San Antonio. The album was mixed by Gonzalez and mastered by Brad Boatright (NAILS, FULL OF HELL).
Answers by Matt King (vocals) and Nicodemus Gonzalez (guitar).
Hey guys! Thanks so much for joining us here on IDIOTEQ! First of all, congratulations on your new record! All the singles and teasers have been overwhelming so far! How’s the anticipation period? How are you?
M: Thanks for having us. We’re doing well. It’s been a long time coming it seems like, but we’re finally here. It’s exciting to be able to share this record with everyone soon.
N: We have been working on this record going on 3 years now so it’s been a long time coming. Excited to finally see it materialize.
“Acts of God” might be gloomy as hell, but it’s far more alive than one could expect, with an urgency and the depth that invigorates rather than drains. Tell us a bit about your approach to writing and the path that led you to so many experiments with sounds and structures.
N: Long before I played guitar music, I produced electronic music. I always kept those projects mutually exclusive from each other. While we were conceptualizing this album, I had an epiphany of sorts: The reality is that both styles come from the same universe, operate in the same world, and come from the same person. I want to push and bend the sonic boundaries of both genres. That mentality really lead to a no-holds-barred writing style for this album.
Photo by Zoe Dillman
Now that both the frame and the deepest details are locked, what do you think are the possibilities and limitations in the genre of extreme metal and hardcore music these days? After so many years of evolution and thousands of shockingly unique masterpieces, is it still possible to seek new forms and angles?
N: The main limitations to this genre are purism and revivalism, people sticking to traditional expectations of what a metal band should look and sound like. The way people subscribe to these traditional regiments is regressive. Our own pride is our biggest limitation. Once this is transcended, the possibilities of growth and innovation are endless without a doubt.
Your lyrics seem to be genuinely thought-provoking and the Biblical references seem to add a lot to its value. Tell us more about the concept behind this offering.
M: The concept behind the lyrics is nothing more than reality.
N: Religion dictates how we exist in society in a lot of ways. The Biblical imagery reflects the narrative of what is going on today with our own moral strife and where it originates from.
Does that reflect anything about the way you guys relate to the world outside of lyrics and fiction?
N: Entirely symbolic of today’s societal constructs. My personal function in society is to question how/where those often oppressive constructs come from and why they exist. Why are they in control?
What would you yourself say about some of the most captivating themes that interest you? Do you see yourself, in the coming years, continuing to dig deeper into some of these concepts?
N: Currently working on more projects in this series that dig deeper. Our first record “In Vain” dealt with internal struggles, while this album examines external struggles. Future projects will dig deeper into more metaphysical ideas from a wider lens.
How significant is the cover art of “Acts Of God”?
N: Before a single song was written, the entire album concept & title was based on the cover image alone. It’s the Seville Cathedral altar in Spain, the largest cathedral in the world. The gravity of the image, the sheer scale of the completely gold altar was extremely striking. It illustrates the wealth and power of organized religion. The image to me is representative of the excesses of organized religion and the lengths people are willing to go for their faith, an anchoring theme of the album.
Left photo by Adam Degross
Ok guys, thanks so much for uncovering some of the details and themes of this monument. What are your next steps? Do you plan on playing some shows in 2017?
N: Keep pushing forward creatively & striving to push our movement to the next level.
M: We’ll be announcing a tour very soon & plan on being very active on the road from then on.
Any chance for a European run sometime soon?
M: We’re more than interested in touring in Europe, so if anyone out there would like to help make that become a reality, just contact us.
Photo by David Brendan Hall
Ok, so lastly, apart from the band, what are you working on right now that you’re most excited about?
M: James and I play in another band called portrayal of guilt, influenced by older screamo bands such as PG. 99, MAJORITY RULE or ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN TRAITORS. We just recently released a 7″ on Miss The Stars Records that just recently went up for pre-order. We’re working on an LP at the moment and will be doing some out of town shows with ILLUSTRATIONS in June.
N: Producing and touring my solo electronic works, under ‘nicodxmvs’. Excited about exploring new territory there.
Great, thanks so much for your time! Feel free to drop your final words and take care!
M: Thanks again for having us, it is much appreciated.
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